Honey Dainties (Melomakarona)

1 c Unsalted butter

1 1/2 c Corn oil

3/4 c Sugar

1/4 c Fresh orange juice

2 ts Baking powder

1 ts Baking soda

7 c Cake flour; plus more

As needed Syrup: 2 c Sugar

1 c Honey

1 1/2 c Water

3/4 c Chopped walnuts

Ground cinnamon Recipe by: Christie Aspergen

1. Melt butter and cool to room temperature. Put butter and corn oil

into large bowl of electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until creamy and light in color, about 10 minutes. Beat in sugar; beat thoroughly, about 10 minutes. 2. Add orange juice, baking powder and baking soda; beat 2 minutes.

Starting with 6 cups flour, add flour, a little at a time. Beat, adding remaining 1 cup flour, or slightly more as needed, until a medium-soft dough is formed. Refrigerate dough to firm slightly or as long as 2 days. 3. For syrup, boil sugar, water and honey together for 5 minutes. Cool

until syrup is warm-not hot. 4. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Shape dough into ovals about 2 inches long

and 1 inch wide. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Press the tines of a fork into the top of each. Bake until golden, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool briefly on wire racks. 5. Gently dip each cookie in the warm syrup; turn to coat all sides.

Place on a wire rack and sprinkle at once with the chopped nuts and cinnamon. Cool completely. Place each cookie in a paper muffin cups. Store in an airtight tin. -----